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Chow Chow
A proud, independent animal
with a strong will, the Chow Chow as a pup looks like an
endearing, fluffy teddy bear. As it matures, the ruffle at the
neck gives it more of the look of a lion; it is a courageous
breed.
History:
The Chow Chow is an ancient
Chinese breed of Spitz-type dog and arrived in China with the
first immigrants from northern Asia. It was bred in Mongolia
for its fine fur, which adorned wealthy ladies' coats, and
also for its meat, which was regarded as a delicacy. The Chow
Chow was once used by the emperors as a hunting dog, and has
also worked as a sled dog and gun dog.
Although
the Chow Chow has been known in China for at least 2000 years,
the West knew nothing of the breed until the late eighteenth
century, first arriving in Great Britain around 1780. There
the breed was perfected from the Hong Kong strain by breeding
out physical imperfections and balancing the proportions. The
breed was recognized by the Kennel Club in 1894.
Physical
characteristics:
The most unusual feature of
the Chow Chow is its blue-black tongue, not seen in any other
dog breed. The dog has a solid and well-balanced body. Height:
19 - 22 in (48.3 - 55.9 cm) for the dog and 18 - 20 in (45.7 -
50.8 cm) for the bitch. Weight: 44 - 55 lb (20 - 25 kg). The
head is broad and flat with a well-defined stop, and heaviness
under the eyes. The muzzle is long and broad, and the large
nose is usually black. Teeth are strong with a scissor bite
and the lips, palate and gums are black. Chow Chows can either
be rough- or smooth-coated. In the rough-coated variety the
coat is heavy, with a harsh outer coat and a soft and wooly
undercoat. In the smooth-coated variety, the coat is thick,
short, dense, and plushy textured.
The
Chow Chow is usually a solid color in any of black, red, blue,
tawny, cream, or white, with some shading or lightening under
the tail and brace of the thighs.
Behavior:
The Chow Chow has a very
determined character. Although the puppies look like wooly
lambs, the lion-like appearance of the adult dog is more true
to its character. Fortunately, most Chow Chows have a
wonderfully even temperament and will only react if provoked
beyond endurance.
They do make excellent
watch-dogs, as they are quick to respond to intruders.
Nevertheless, their beautiful appearance makes them a little
too cute for the role of guard dog.
In
most cases, the Chow Chow gets along very well with other
dogs, as they are a very sociable breed. Until your Chow Chow
has been properly socialized with people, be a little wary of
its reaction to strangers. As the Chow Chow has such a
wonderful coat people find it very difficult not to stroke and
handle them. Encourage people to slowly offer the back of
their hand for the dog to sniff first, before you let them
stroke the dog.
If
you live in a cold area your Chow Chow will be very
comfortable, and should be given plenty of vigorous exercise.
However, during hot and humid weather, the Chow Chow may
suffer from heat exhaustion and its activities should be
moderated until the weather cools. It is important to always
provide plenty of water for the dog to keep cool.
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